Don't be Afraid or Discouraged

I am safely back home with the only casualty being an encounter with fire ants.  I decided to would check my oil before heading back and had parked with the front of my car over an area of landscape covered with pine straw.  Unbeknown to me, there was a nest of angry fire ants underneath.  Before I realized what was happening, I had hundreds of the little fellows on my feet, which only had sandals for protection.  Fortunately the car wash was close by, so Keith directed me there and he blasted water on my feet and legs to wash them off.  The cold water was momentarily soothing and fortunately Keith had some medication to apply that helped relieve the burning and itching.  I have a few dozen small red welts as a reminder of the incident, but no further reaction, for which I am most thankful.

While in Raleigh/Durham I was following the Ebola outbreak which has been a real challenge at the ELWA Hospital in Liberia.  The wife of one of our SIM missionaries and a doctor have symptoms of the deadly virus in spite of major precautions being taken while treating patients.  As of last report, the doctor is showing a slight improvement, Nancy is holding her own and one of the Liberian nurses is showing symptoms.  All are being carefully monitored and our SIM team from three continents is doing all they can to serve and provide support.

With our Charlotte leadership deeply involved in this challenge, I was asked to handle some of the routine things possible while being many miles from the office.  Thanks to the miracle of smartphones, I am able to take care of a few things to relieve a bit of pressure back at the office.

Pray with us for those showing symptoms and those ministering.  The SIM Rapid Response Team along with Samaritan’s Purse personnel are working around the clock ministering to needs and doing everything possible to prevent further spreading of the virus.  The ELWA Hospital was temporarily closed down for full decontamination of the facility.  Pray for the teams, personnel and Liberians working at ELWA.  Pray for protection, stamina, good health, strength and great wisdom.  Pray for all of West Africa where the Ebola situation is critical!

It is easy to become anxious or fearful as we assess all that is going on in the world today, but I am reminded:

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”  (Isaiah 41:10)

Love to all,

Chuck